Though political rivals, there was bonhomie between the candidates of different parties as they bumped into one another at the Old Zilla Panchayat building here, when they came to file their nomination papers here on Monday.
When Minister for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports, Pramod Madhwaraj, candidate of the Congress for Udupi Assembly Constituency, came with his mother and former Minister Manorama Madhwaraj to file his nomination papers, Lalaji Mendon, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Kaup Assembly Constituency, who was returning after filing his nomination papers, saw Ms. Madhwaraj and fell at her feet to seek her blessings. When questioned, Mr. Mendon said: “Ms. Madhwaraj is a senior politician and an elder, so I sought her blessings.” So too, when Mr. Madhwaraj returned after filing his nomination papers, he saw Saraswati Bai, the mother of BJP candidate for Udupi Assembly Constituency, K. Raghupati Bhat, waiting outside at the Old Zilla Panchayat building, he immediately fell at her feet and sought her blessings.
Asked why he sought Ms. Saraswati Bai’s blessings, Mr. Pramod Madhwaraj said that he and Mr. Bhat were classmates from class six to 10 at English Medium High School here. “I used to visit Mr. Bhat’s house during my school days. Mr. Bhat’s mother has a good impression about me. Knowing her for so many years and she being an elderly person, I sought her blessings. Since her son (Mr. Bhat) is also contesting from Udupi, I did not seek her vote,” Mr. Madhwaraj said.
